What Uncles Do Best
by Remote-Controlled Button
Summary: While staying with Denmark, Sealand gets a little worked up over a thunderstorm. Luckily, Denmark knows just how to make Sealand feel better.


Denmark groped the space next to his bed in the dark, not bothering to open is eyes as he searched for something he already knew wasn't there. He gave a disappointed sigh when he came up empty handed and rolled over onto his back to stare at the ceiling.  
Norway was on a business trip and wouldn't be back for three more days, so Denmark was left to fend for himself. At first it had been nice to be alone. A week to himself. No more thunks on the back of the head or nagging. He was his own man for seven days! Then about halfway through he got depressed and wished the week would hurry along.  
Suddenly the bleak darkness was lit up in a brilliant shock of fleeting white. It was followed shortly by a loud clap that echoed through the emptiness of night. Denmark smiled; he loved thunder and lightning storms. He loved the way the slender tendrils of electricity danced across the sky, hungrily reaching out to balance itself with a brief touch of the ground.  
He remembered when he was younger, he had climbed to meet the frightening forces of nature. He would scale mountains, hills, trees, anything that would make him taller so he could challenge the bolts to strike him; put him in his place, and to attempt to scream louder than the booming voices of the clouds. Denmark never once got hit but he had come close. The bolt barely hit a foot away from him, sending him flying through the air and landing hard on his back. Norway had told him that's what he got for taunting nature. The Dane had just laughed and resumed his yelling, his hair now sticking up on end with static.  
Another boom smashed through his thoughts bringing him back to the storm at hand. The rain had started up as well, slowly building up from a hard rain to a full out flood. It came down in buckets, creating instant puddles and cascades that forced their ways out of gutters. Denmark was hit with the scent of rain that came through his open window.  
He should probably close that.  
With a yawn, Denmark hopped from his bed to close the window just as a particularly large flash lit the hills aglow. The window shut with a dull click and he just stood there for a bit, staring at the storm as it called to him, recalling memories of when the two of them use to try to stare each other down.  
Just as he was making his way to go outside, a thunder roll shook the very air and was accompanied by a sharp scream. As soon as the roll had died out, it was replaced with the frantic pattering of feet that raced down the hallway towards Denmark's room.  
"Uncle Denmark!"  
The small boy launched himself at the waist of the surprised Dane and was about knocked down by the force. A small white dog fallowed after and yapped loudly as it chased after.  
"GAH! Sealand! What's the matter? Let go!"  
Somewhere during the week, Denmark had became in charge of his nephew, Sealand, and their little dog Hanatamago while Sweden and Finland went on a trip for their anniversary. Denmark had refused to take the responsibility. Not that he didn't like the kid; he loved him to bits. He just didn't feel like he could take care of him. Sure he had taken care of Norway and later Iceland when they were little but that had been a long time ago. And besides, if he did something wrong he would have to answer to Sweden, or worse, Finland. But in the end, he took the job and was watching the duo until Sunday.  
Denmark attempted to shove the boy away from him, prying his small fingers from his clothing, but nothing seemed to work. Each time a new flash hit the sky, the already death grip increased.  
"Sealand! You need to-Hey, are you okay? Sealand?"  
He suddenly realized the boy was crying. And not just crying, but bawling. His shoulders were shaking and everything. Denmark instantly felt guilt for trying to tear the boy off of him and yelling.  
Crouching down so that they were at eye level, Denmark carefully lifted the lad's chin up so he'd look at him. The Dane's heart quivered when he saw the pure fear in the kid's sea blue eyes. He wrapped his arms around Sealand to support him.  
"Hey," he whispered, "what's wrong? Are you hurt?"  
Lighting streaked across the sky with a bellow. Sealand jumped with a yelp and buried his face in Denmark's chest.  
"Ah! You're afraid of lightning," he said with sudden clarity.  
"I-I'm not s-scared!" He ate his words with another clap of thunder.  
"No. You're terrified."  
Again, Sealand tried to deny the fact but by the way he looked at Denmark, it was a dead giveaway.  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
"Cause I'm not scared," muttered the boy, tears still streaming down his face.  
"Well that's a lie." Denmark picked the boy up and carried him to the bed. He brushed the bangs from his eyes and stared deeply into them. "I can tell when someone is scared out of their mind and you, my friend, are scared senseless."  
Trying hard to look tough, Sealand crossed his arms in protest but still shook visibly. "So what if I am? Does it make me a stupid kid?"  
Denmark laughed loudly, making Sealand frown and bringing tears to his eyes, not that he would admit that. It hurt slightly that someone he looked up to would laugh at him like that.  
"So it does."  
"No, no! Not at all," Denmark practically shouted as he realized what he had implied. "Everyone is afraid of something. And tons of people are afraid of thunder and lightning."  
"I don't believe that. Papa isn't."  
"And that's where you are wrong!" Motioning for the boy to crawl into his lap, Denmark prepared to tell a story. He was already grinning ear to ear from the memory.  
"You see, when me and your dad were little, he used to be terrified by the dark."  
"What?" Sealand said in disbelief. "You're making that up."  
"No I'm not! Shut up and listen will ya? So any way, he was really afraid of the dark. The guy could walk straight into a war without even blinking but when it came to being alone in the dark, he just flipped out. And between you and me and the dog," Denmark paused to look around to make sure they were all alone," he still is to this very day."  
Sealand rolled with laughter. When he stopped he asked, "What about Finland?"  
"Spiders."  
"Norway?"  
"Heights."  
"And Iceland?"  
"Needles and stuff like that."  
The little blonde thought this information over and then with a sly grin pointed in Denmark's face. "And what are you afraid of?"  
"Who me?" Denmark asked, hands flying up in mock surprise. "I'm not afraid of anything! I'm the king of northern Europe so I can't be afraid of nothing."  
"But you said," Sealand said, being cheeky, "that everyone is afraid of something."  
The Dane laughed. "Alright. You got me. I'm afraid of being abandoned."  
It was his turn to look embraced. He fingered his sheets and didn't look Sealand in the eye. "That's pretty stupid huh?"  
"Not at all. Yours is better than mine. I'm afraid of stupid electricity and loud sounds."  
"But that's where you're wrong again." Denmark hugged the boy tightly, smoothing the boy's wild bed head. "Fear is fear is fear. Really it's all the same. It just matters how we handle it. Now," he said, looking into Sealand's eyes once more," how are you going to handle it?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well are you going to let it rule you or are you going to take control of what you're afraid of?"  
"You sound all philosophical. It's weird coming from you."  
"Just answer the question, wise guy."  
Sealand thought the question over. "So you're saying I shouldn't let my fear of lighting control me?"  
Denmark nodded. "Of course. Why would you want to be afraid all the time anyway? It's okay to be scared but when you let it get away from you, then you're just being silly." He smiled. "So what do you think?"  
"I'm not going to let my fear control me."  
"There you go!" The boy's uncle patted him on the back. "Smart, just like me."  
"Sure. Just like you."  
"I think you get your bluntness and the urge to tear me down from Norway."  
The two laughed, Denmark playfully knocking the boy over, sending the boy to his side in hysteria. Hanatamago leapt onto the bed, confused by all the sudden commotion.  
"Hey," Denmark said, cocking his head to listen.  
"What?"  
A goofy grin spread across the Dane's face. "I think the storm stopped."  
Sure enough, when the boy went to listen, he found he could no longer hear the down pour or the angry slaps of light. "Hey, you're right."  
"Now you'll be able to sleep."  
The boy nodded slowly, biting his bottom lip as he thought. Denmark noticed this and arched an eyebrow in question.  
"Uncle Denmark, if it's alright with you, would, would you mind it if I slept with you? Not that I'm scared any more or anything, I'm just a little lonely and worked up. You know?"  
Denmark grinned. He loved how the boy was trying hard to get over his fear but wasn't quite succeeding. "Sure. I don't see why not. I'm kinda lonely in here too. I miss Norge. How about you? Miss your parents?"  
Sealand crawled underneath the covers that were opened for him and snuggled down. "A little. But I like hanging out with you so everything is cool."  
"That's good." Denmark laid back down, closing his eyes as his head hit the pillow. He suddenly felt really tired. He was just about asleep when he heard Sealand roll over towards him.  
"Hey, Denmark?"  
"Hmm."  
"Thanks for making me feel better. That means a lot to me."  
"No problem buddy."  
There was some shuffling of sheets as Sealand scooted closer, snuggling his face into Denmark's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around him. He kissed the older man on the cheek.  
"Night."  
"Good night buddy."


End file.
